The Final Word on Jeans

Are you curious how I could do a series on denim without mentioning the word Levis? Simply an oversight on my part! 4-5 years ago I had a cut of Levis that I loved. I still own a pair in white. You know how it goes–styles get discontinued and I didn’t find quite the same fit. I neglected to try the new Levis and there are many styles. I will see what I find and let you know.

I found several sources that match brand to body type. It left me frustrated and I felt it was inconsistent. “Brands for larger hips”.  Well almost every woman I know feels they have large hips even when they don’t. These charts were not doing it for me and I thought they might be misleading. Basically, I believe I gave you a great overview of many choices highlighting ones that carry plus sizes and those that seem to be cut generously in the hip/thigh (CJ and Christopher Blue) Now it really boils down to trying on a bunch of jeans. One more tip: Shape FX recently featured on Oprah.

I wanted to share two styles with you that you may or many not know about. The boyfriend jean is a little bit baggier fit through the hip and thigh and they are typically rolled. Pretty trendy right now–not sure if they will stick around. They are very comfortable and a nice look for spring/summer. Lucky and Ralph Lauren are shown. I like the look the best with a heel.

The trouser jean is a style that looks like a denim pair of dress pants. They are cut fuller in the leg/thigh and fit like pants. They are a great option if you do not care for the fit of jeans right now and/or things just aren’t fitting AND you want to wear denim! I’ve also been told that these can pass in the workplace for dress pants as they really look like a dark colored pair of pants until you get close. Unless you have serious dress code “police” at your office, you may be able to pull it off. Last year you hardly saw any trouser jeans. This year they are all over and it seems every brand is carrying them. Jag and CJ are shown.

Again, I recommend having a 2nd opinion for whatever you choose. If you go out, follow all the rules I gave you and can’t find a thing- please do not hesitate to call or write.

I also found this site. I did not pay to check it out; this might help. Try Zafu.com.

What about the skinny jeans I promised to review? I decided to group it with leggings and jeggings which will be the next post.

Denim and More Denim

Part 3 takes us into more brands and fabric content. The last post I ended under the $100 price point. Another great source at this price point comes from CABI– Carol Anderson by Invitation. These clothes are sold at home parties. I’ve had several pairs over the years and always found them to be a great fit. I have a show most every season to get these clothes half price. There are also CABI outlet stores in various parts of the country. (Woodburn, Oregon)

Oprah put these jeans on the map this year: CJ by Cookie Johnson (Magic Johnson’s wife) They are perfect for the curvier figure and are cut generously in the hip/thigh. I had to go down a size! Sized to a generous 18, this brand gives more options than other high end jeans. Prices start at $112 and go up depending on style. Also try Christopher Blue.

Citizens of Humanity, True Religion, 7 for all Mankind, Hudson, AG, Joe’s, Paige, Rock & Republic bring us into the category of high end starting around $159. I realize that many of you reading will feel that is an outrageous price for jeans! I tend to agree that you are paying a lot for name. My challenge is to find these brands on sale. I loved the fit with Joe’s Muse, Citizen Amber and David Kahn. Most of these brands are a pretty low rise and go to size 32 which is equivalent to a size 12-14. Some do carry higher rise cuts. However, their high rise is often a mid rise on many women so be prepared to ask for help. Every wash fits differently; some brands mark down a discontinued wash. I found Joe’s on the sale rack HALF OFF and David Kahn at The Rack for 29.99 (previously altered to my inseam!)

Photo Credits: Nordstrom  You will find all these brands and more I didn’t  mention in the Denim Shop. Check out the helpful videos!

ALTERATIONS: I hear women complain frequently that if the jean fits the hip, it’s too big in the waist. The waist is easy to alter with a simple alteration known as darts. The waistband is made smaller easily. A good dry cleaners, alteration shops in malls or private seamstresses will be able to do this for you. Another option is this clear plastic belt if the problem is slight.

FABRICS: Most jeans have a form of stretch fabric such as elastane or spandex. This provides the “give” that every sales person refers to.”They’re going to stretch!” But what about when they stretch too much? I believe denim designers are getting it when it comes to finding the right mix of spandex. I recall jeans that contained 6%–now it’s more like 1-2%.  Some designers are using polyester instead which decreases fading, adds durability, and is more wrinkle resistant. Paige Premium Denim a brand I’ll discuss in a future post adds this component.

WASHING/DRYING: I already mentioned turning inside out. I dry jeans for just a few minutes on low and the take them out to hang dry. The dryer is simply hard on clothes. I steam lightly to rid that “crunchy” feeling or iron pocket flaps and hemlines. I noticed that Angie at You Look Fab does almost the opposite and has amazing results which alleviates ironing/stretching!

NEXT: Series will come to an end on Friday with a post on Jeans for Body types. What have you learned?

Denim Shopping 101

 It’s now time to really talk FIT. Nine times out of ten, women walk out of the dressing room and say,”These are too tight!” Today’s jean has a different look and feel. Consider the stretch factor. If you find a size that works, go down ONE size just to compare. Think booty, hip, thigh. Waist can be altered. Beware of relaxed cuts that are too roomy in the thighs.

1. Go slowly when you shop. Quality time in the fitting room—45 minutes to an hour—pays off. Be patient, ASK  for help and know there is a pair for you!
2. Sit or squat while you’re trying on jeans to check  “spill over” or ”reveal” (also to gauge comfort level).
3. It’s all in the rise! This is the entire area from waistband to crotch to side seams. A good fit means: NO bunching, puckering or any EXTRA fabric in this area. It might say low rise, but hit you mid-rise. Don’t rule out a low rise as it depends on your body (torso/leg line). Remember you can measure the rise to help you decide before trying.
4. Buy two pairs when you find great jeans—one to hem for heels, the other to hem for flats.
5. Choose a dark wash which is the most flattering and also can be dressed up/down. Special fabric treatments (whiskering) make sense only on areas of the body you want to spotlight.
6. Think wardrobe. Three to five pairs are the minimum: one or two for dressier occasions or work if your dress code allows (dark, straight-legged denim looks most polished)Wear with a heel. One or two for weekends with flats or sneakers (NOT running shoes) Find a pair (perhaps less expensive) with more stretch for days when are feeling heavier.
7. Alterations are key if jeans aren’t precisely right. Fit largest part of body and tailor from there.
8. Prevent fade-out by washing dark jeans inside out in cold water.
9. Shop online –can be helpful for background info. Check out all the sites below. Lots of great info from Stacy London on the Riders site and video from The Gap.
10. Do NOT Hem your jeans too short. This is one of the biggest mistakes women make. They should be 1/2 inch from the floor–one inch at the most! You want the longest leg line possible. Try with a heel–even 1-1/2 inches; you will see a significant difference. You will be taller, look thinner and feel ”leggy”. Trust me on this one. I have short legs and this works wonders.

A good sales person will be able to guide you to the correct brands if you are very specific about what you want. It will eliminate brands and save time. A seasoned sales person has seen jeans on many women. Fit patterns develop.  Here are a few things I’ve found that you may like starting with lower price points and moving up. If you want to stay low, I still recommend going to a higher end store first so you learn about proper fit.

Riders by Lee   Old Navy Sweetheart   Gap Curvy Bootcut 

    

Riders available at Walmart and K-mart: 19.99. Old Navy (prices vary) Ok, so I haven’t tried Gap jeans in years. The minute I got them on, they were a hit. Soft, comfortable fabric, good rise (8.5 and they said LOW rise) and overall a great fit. The best part–the Regular Length was perfect with my heels-no hemming. I do not remember the last time I haven’t had to hem jeans. They even had X long. Price: 59.50/69.50. I also happened to choose a certain Wednesday where they offered 40% off ONE item. What a deal!   

Next price range: Kut from the Kloth  Jag   Not Your Daughter’s Jeans

   

 $79-109. Nordstrom, Macy’s and other department stores. They go on sale and can be found at the Nordstrom Rack. I like all three. Boot-cut is shown in all pictures, but most of these brands have a straight cut, some a skinny cut and trouser is gaining popularity in many brands. Plus/Petite sizes available.

More on brands and fabric next week. Let me know if you hit the stores and what you liked.